Voluntary Charity

A trustee who is Muslim and honest and who carries out what is assigned to him, willingly and cheerfully, will be regarded as one of the two givers of charity. He should be Muslim, for if he is non-Muslim and honest, carrying out what is assigned to him, still he will not be rewarded for that, since non-Muslims will not obtain rewards in the Hereafter for their good deeds. Allah, the Almighty, says: {And We will regard what they have done of deeds and make them as dust dispersed} [Sūrat al-Furqān: 23]. He also says: {And whoever of you reverts from his religion [to disbelief] and dies while he is a disbeliever - for those, their deeds have become worthless in this world and the Hereafter, and those are the companions of the Fire, they will abide therein eternally} [Sūrat al-Baqarah: 217]. If a person performs good deeds and then converts to Islam, he will be rewarded for those past deeds. So, he should be Muslim and honest and should execute what is required of him, and finally he should do so willingly and cheerfully; in other words, he should not mistreat those he gives or remind them of the favors done to them. In this way, he will be regarded as one of the two givers of charity, though he has given nothing from his own money.

بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين لسليم الهلالي، ط1، دار ابن الجوزي، الدمام، 1415ه. دليل الفالحين لطرق رياض الصالحين لمحمد علي بن محمد بن علان، ط4، اعتنى بها: خليل مأمون شيحا، دار المعرفة، بيروت، 1425 ه. رياض الصالحين للنووي، ط1، تحقيق: ماهر ياسين الفحل، دار ابن كثير، دمشق، بيروت، 1428 هـ. رياض الصالحين، ط4، تحقيق: عصام هادي، وزارة الأوقاف والشؤون الإسلامية القطرية، دار الريان، بيروت، 1428هـ. كنوز رياض الصالحين، مجموعة من الباحثين برئاسة حمد بن ناصر العمار، ط1، كنوز إشبيليا، الرياض، 1430هـ. شرح رياض الصالحين للشيخ ابن عثيمين، دار الوطن للنشر، الرياض، 1426هـ. صحيح البخاري، تحقيق: محمد زهير بن ناصر الناصر، ط1، دار طوق النجاة (مصورة عن السلطانية بإضافة ترقيم: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي)، 1422ه. صحيح مسلم، تحقيق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، دار إحياء التراث العربي، بيروت. نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين لمجموعة من الباحثين، ط14، مؤسسة الرسالة، 1407هـ.

The Mother of the Believers, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), informed that a woman came to her with her two daughters, asking for food. ‘Ā’ishah found nothing but a single date, which she gave to the woman. The woman split the date between her two daughters without eating any herself, then left. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered, ‘Ā’ishah told him what happened. He said: Whoever is responsible for these daughters and takes care of them and treats them well—educating them, feeding them, giving them drink, clothing them, and enduring all that with patience—they will be a shield and a barrier for him from Hellfire.

1. Caring for daughters and striving to provide for them are among the finest righteous deeds that shield one from Hellfire.
2. It is recommended to give charity with whatever one can afford, even if it is small.
3. The profound compassion of parents toward their children.
4. Clarifying the condition of the households of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and that his provision was just sufficient.
5. Illustrating the virtue of altruism, or selflessness, as a hallmark of the believers, for ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) preferred the woman and her two daughters over herself, which indicates her generosity and nobility despite her own dire need.
6. The blessing of daughters is called 'trial' because of the hardship and fatigue involved in their upbringing, or due to some people's dislike for them, or because they often lack the means of earning and a livelihood.
7. Islam came to eradicate the detestable practices of the pre-Islamic era, and thus it calls for honoring and caring for daughters.
8. This reward is attained even in the case of caring for one daughter, as mentioned in some narrations.

صحيح البخاري (8/ 7) (5995). صحيح مسلم (4/ 2027) (2629). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 353). تطريز رياض الصالحين، لفيصل آل مبارك (ص199). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (5/ 151). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (3/ 106). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 277).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that every day upon which the sun rises, two angels descend, calling out. One of them says: O Allah, give compensation to the spender, who spends on acts of obedience, on his dependents and guests, and on voluntary acts, and grant him goodness and blessing in return for what he spends. The other one says: O Allah, give the withholder damage and destroy the wealth that he withholds from those entitled to it.

1. It is permissible to supplicate for the generous person to be granted compensation and to be rewarded with what is better than what he has spent. It is also permissible to supplicate against the miser to lose his money that he has withheld out of stinginess and has not spent in the ways Allah has prescribed.
2. The angles supplicate Allah to grant the righteous believers, who spend in His way, goodness and blessing and their supplication is answered.
3. Encouraging the act of spending, whether it is obligatory or voluntary, such as providing for one's family, maintaining kinship ties, and in other fields of goodness.
4. Clarifying the merit of the one who spends on charitable causes and that Allah will consequently compensate him, as Allah Almighty says: {Whatever you spend in charity, He will compensate for it, for He is the Best of Providers.} [Surat Saba’: 39]
5. This supplication is against the one who withholds the obligatory expenditures, but the recommended ones are not included because the one who withholds them does not deserve such a supplication.
6. Miserliness and stinginess are prohibited.

صحيح البخاري (2/ 115) (1442). صحيح مسلم (2/ 700) (1010). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (3/ 157). نزهة المتقين بشرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 293). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 376).

The best type of charity one can give are these three things: the shade of a tent or canopy, a servant (as a gift or loan), or a young female camel that is ready for mating, whether this charity is given to those fighting in the cause of Allah or other people who are needy. Giving charity to the needy is also considered to be in the cause of Allah. Perhaps these things were specified because of people's need for them at that time, so the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wished to encourage offering them. As to the current times, the people's need for these things is almost non-existent, or very limited in some places. This meaning is also found in the Hadīth reported by ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) where the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The people of a house without dates are hungry" [Muslim]. Sheikh Ibn Bāz (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: "This Hadīth is intended to mean the people who eat dates often, such as the people of Madīnah in his time (the time of the Prophet), and any people like them whose diet depends on dates."

رياض الصالحين من كلام سيد المرسلين؛ للإمام أبي زكريا النووي، تحقيق د. ماهر الفحل، دار ابن كثير-دمشق، الطبعة الأولى، 1428ه . بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف سليم الهلالي، دار ابن الجوزي - الطبعة الأولى1418ه نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف د. مصطفى الخِن وغيره، مؤسسة الرسالة-بيروت، الطبعة الرابعة عشر، 1407هـ مرقاة المفاتيح :علي بن سلطان محمد، أبو الحسن نور الدين الملا الهروي القاري، دار الفكر، بيروت - لبنان الطبعة: الأولى، 1422هـ - 2002م مجموع فتاوى العلامة عبد العزيز بن باز، أشرف على جمعه وطبعه: محمد بن سعد الشويعر.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), while delivering a sermon from the pulpit, mentioned charity and refraining from begging; then he said: The upper hand—the one that gives and spends—is better and more beloved to Allah than the lower hand—the one that asks.

1. It highlights the virtue of giving and spending in good causes and the dispraise of begging.
2. It encourages refraining from asking others and being self-sufficient and urges the pursuit of noble matters while avoiding lowly ones, for Allah loves lofty aspirations.
3. There are four types of hands in terms of virtue, ranked as follows: the highest is the giving hand, followed by the one that refrains from taking, then the one that receives without asking, and the lowest of them is the begging hand.

صحيح البخاري (2/ 112) (1429). صحيح مسلم (2/ 717) (1033). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 590). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 465). التوضيح لشرح الجامع الصحيح، لابن الملقن (10/ 315). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (3/ 388). تحفة الأحوذي بشرح جامع الترمذي، المباركفوري (3/ 288). تطريز رياض الصالحين، لفيصل آل مبارك (ص212).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked his Companions which of them loved the wealth of their heirs, which they would inherit from them after their death, more than the wealth they own in their lifetime. The Companions replied that there was none among them who did not love his own wealth, which was in his possession and over which he had absolute control, more, because with the wealth that he possessed can fulfill his desires and aspirations. The Prophet then told them that a person's own wealth is that which he spends during his lifetime on righteous deeds, such as Hajj; an endowment fund; building a school, a mosque, or a hospital; or spending on himself and his family. This indeed is his real wealth, which he will find benefiting him on the Day of Resurrection. As for what he saves during his lifetime and withholds from spending for the sake of Allah, this wealth belongs to his heirs and he has no share in it. There is another Hadīth with a similar meaning that Imām Muslim narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullāh ibn Ash-Shikhkhīr (may Allah be pleased with him). He said: “I went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and he was reciting: {Competition in increase of [world benefits] diverted you} [Sūrat At-Takāthur: 1]. Then he said: "The son of Adam says: 'My wealth, my wealth.' Do you, son of Adam, own anything of your wealth except what you eat and consume, or what you wear and wear out, or what you give in charity...?" This Hadīth does not mean that one should spend all his money for the sake of Allah and leave his family poor, to beg from other people. What is meant is that a person, in as much as he strives to save money for his heirs after him, should also strive to earn rewards that would benefit him in the Hereafter, by spending from the surplus he has after providing for his wife, children, and parents. Spending on them is obligatory on him, if he did not do so, he would be sinful. The proof for this is the following Hadīth reported by Abu Umāmah (may Allah be pleased with him): “The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘O son of Adam, if you spend the surplus, it is good for you; and if you withhold it, it is evil for you.'" [Muslim]

كنوز رياض الصالحين ، تأليف: حمد بن ناصر بن العمار ، الناشر: دار كنوز أشبيليا، الطبعة الأولى: 1430 هـ بهجة الناظرين، تأليف: سليم بن عيد الهلالي، دار ابن الجوزي- الطبعة الأولى1418ه. نزهة المتقين، تأليف: جمعٌ من المشايخ، الناشر: مؤسسة الرسالة، الطبعة الأولى: 1397 هـ، الطبعة الرابعة عشرة 1407 هـ صحيح البخاري، تأليف: محمد بن إسماعيل البخاري، تحقيق: محمد زهير الناصر، الناشر: دار طوق النجاة الطبعة: الأولى، 1422هـ. رياض الصالحين، تأليف: محيي الدين يحيى بن شرف النووي، تحقيق: د. ماهر بن ياسين الفحل، الطبعة: الأولى، 1428 هـ . دليل الفالحين لطرق رياض الصالحين؛ لمحمد بن علان الشافعي، تحقيق خليل مأمون شيحا-دار المعرفة-بيروت-الطبعة الرابعة 1425ه.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out in this Hadīth that envy is of different types. There is a type that is blameworthy and unlawful under Shariah; that is when a person wishes for the removal of some blessing from his brother. The permissible type of envy is when one sees someone enjoying a worldly blessing and he hopes to have the same for himself. There is also a praiseworthy type of envy which is recommended under Shariah. It is when one sees someone enjoying a religious blessing and wishes to have the same thing for oneself. This is what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) intended by his statement: "There should be no envy except in two (cases)". This means that envy has different types, and its ruling differs according to its type. It is not praiseworthy and recommended by Shariah except in two cases: 1. When there is a wealthy righteous man whom Allah has given lawful wealth, which he spends in the cause of Allah, the Almighty. So one hopes to be like him, and envies him, the kind of envy that is free from malice, for that blessing. 2. When there is a knowledgeable man whom Allah has given beneficial knowledge which he acts upon, teaches to others, and judges between the people according to. So, he wishes to be like him.

كنوز رياض الصالحين، تأليف: حمد بن ناصر بن العمار ، الناشر: دار كنوز أشبيليا، الطبعة الأولى: 1430 هـ بهجة الناظرين، تأليف: سليم بن عيد الهلالي، نسخة الكترونية، لا يوجد بها بيانات نشر. نزهة المتقين، تأليف: جمعٌ من المشايخ، الناشر: مؤسسة الرسالة، الطبعة الأولى: 1397 هـ، الطبعة الرابعة عشر 1407 هـ رياض الصالحين، تأليف : محيي الدين يحيى بن شرف النووي ، تحقيق: د. ماهر بن ياسين الفحل ، الطبعة: الأولى، 1428 هـ صحيح مسلم، تأليف: مسلم بن الحجاج النيسابوري، تحقيق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي الناشر: دار إحياء التراث العربي – بيروت صحيح البخاري، نشر: دار طوق النجاة (مصورة عن السلطانية بإضافة ترقيم محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي)، الطبعة: الأولى، 1422ه شرح رياض الصالحين، تأليف: محمد بن صالح العثيمين، الناشر: دار الوطن للنشر، الطبعة: 1426 هـ منار القاري، تأليف: حمزة محمد قاسم، الناشر: مكتبة دار البيان ، عام النشر: 1410 هـ.

A man came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to ask him about the best type of charity. So he said to him: That you give charity when you are in good health and you fear poverty if you live long, and you hope to become rich. Do not defer charity until you are dying and you know that you are about to leave this world and then you say: "For so-and-so I give this amount of money as charity or as a bequest." Lo, the money then belongs to your heir, not to you.

- دليل الفالحين لطرق رياض الصالحين، لابن علان، نشر دار الكتاب العربي. - نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، نشر: مؤسسة الرسالة، الطبعة: الرابعة عشر، 1407هـ - 1987م. - شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين، نشر: دار الوطن للنشر، الرياض، الطبعة: 1426هـ. - بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، للهلالي، نشر: دار ابن الجوزي. - صحيح البخاري، نشر: دار طوق النجاة (مصورة عن السلطانية بإضافة ترقيم ترقيم محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي)، الطبعة: الأولى، 1422هـ. - صحيح مسلم، تحقيق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، نشر: دار إحياء التراث العربي – بيروت. - رياض الصالحين للنووي، ط1، تحقيق: ماهر ياسين الفحل، دار ابن كثير، دمشق، بيروت، 1428 هـ.